Transforming Your Thought Life

Christian Meditation in Focus

This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
Buy on BN.com Buy on Bookshop.org
*This page contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
Send NetGalley books directly to your Kindle or Kindle app

1
To read on a Kindle or Kindle app, please add kindle@netgalley.com as an approved email address to receive files in your Amazon account. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
2
Also find your Kindle email address within your Amazon account, and enter it here.
Pub Date 01 Oct 2019 | Archive Date 04 Aug 2020

Talking about this book? Use #TransformingYourThoughtLife #NetGalley. More hashtag tips!


Description

Your Mind Is Under Attack.

Thousands of thoughts fly through our minds every day, many of them negative. And Satan knows how susceptible we are to these negative thoughts that leave us frustrated and feeling defeated. However, the time-honored practice of Christian meditation can help us find victory in these spiritual battles.

Transforming Your Thought Life offers guided meditations and personal examples that will help you train your mind to stay grounded in God’s Word. Each chapter examines a particular kind of negative thought pattern and provides key Bible verses and prayers for standing strong against it. Day by day, as you hide God’s Word in your heart and mind, you will move closer to the heart and mind of God.

Your Mind Is Under Attack.

Thousands of thoughts fly through our minds every day, many of them negative. And Satan knows how susceptible we are to these negative thoughts that leave us frustrated and...


Advance Praise

“Our thoughts have the power to help or hurt us. So what do we do when our thoughts leave us feeling beaten, bruised, and out of control? In Transforming Your Thought Life, Sarah reminds us that the answer lies not inside ourselves but within the pages of Scripture. Read this book now!” —Lauren Gaskill, author of Into the Deep and president of She Found Joy

“Our minds are busy places, and often they’re filled with harmful thoughts and motives. In Transforming Your Thought Life, Sarah returns meditation to its rightful place in the Christian life, teaching us to leverage the power of Scripture to shape our thoughts. Sarah’s vulnerable personal applications and fresh perspectives challenge us to clean up the playgrounds of our minds!” —Amy Carroll, speaker and writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries and author of Breaking Up with Perfect and Exhale

“With honesty and transparency, Sarah shows us the power of God’s Word and its ability to conquer and destroy the unwanted, harmful thoughts that frequent our minds. Sarah not only points us to the solution, but she also takes us by the hand and guides us step-by-step through the process of building lasting habits to experience victory through Christ.” —Kate Motaung, author of A Place to Land: A Story of Longing and Belonging

“Changing the way we think so that we can live a more joyful and victorious life sounds great, but it seems daunting. In Transforming Your Thought Life, Sarah Geringer doesn’t just tell us what it looks like to experience change through Christian meditation. She shows us how to change the way we think . . . every step of the way.” —Lynn Cowell, author of Make Your Move and member of the Proverbs 31 Ministries writing and speaking team

“This book is practical, accessible, and potentially life-changing. Sarah Geringer has much to offer any woman who wishes she could put a harness on her own runaway thoughts.” —Christie Purifoy, author of Roots and Sky and Placemaker

“In this book, Sarah dispels the myths behind Christian meditation and introduces us to its many benefits. She masterfully invites us into the presence of God with meditations that satisfy the deep needs of our souls. Through Transforming Your Thought Life, discover afresh that God’s Word truly is the answer to all of our problems and that meditating on his Word transforms our hearts and minds, equipping us to face any challenge by his grace.” —Denise Pass, speaker, worship leader, and author of Shame Off You and 31 Days to Hope Reinvented

“When Sarah Geringer writes about meditation, she isn’t just talking about the thoughts we think. She weaves together the depths of her own life experience, the richness of Scripture, and the fruits of her own contemplation into a beautiful tapestry. The unique gift of this book is how you can read it chapter by chapter or choose the chapter that fits your own thought life at that moment. Either way, it will guide you into grace.” —Travis Scholl, author of Walking the Labyrinth

Transforming Your Thought Life is a valuable resource for every believer. In this comprehensive book, Sarah dives head-first into harnessing our thoughts with the life-giving practice of meditating on God’s Word. Sharing many of her own struggles and stories, Sarah tackles challenges from her life with authenticity and courage. Her candid stories draw us in, helping us to see our own struggles as we recognize our need to filter our thoughts through Scripture. Sarah guides us closer to God, demonstrating how Christian meditation can transform our thoughts and heal our wounds.” —Ginger Harrington, author of Holy in the Moment

“Sarah Geringer knows this to be true: our only hope for true transformation in this life is through the Word of God. With joy and honesty, she beckons us to meditate daily on a Bible passage and guides us in understanding all the whys, hows, and whats of Christian meditation. What a gift! Sarah’s methods can make all the difference in our daily thought struggles. I am a new meditation fan and recommend this book for personal and group studies alike!” —Maria Furlough, author of Confident Moms, Confident Daughters and Breaking the Fear Cycle

“If you think meditation isn’t for Christians, think again. Sarah Geringer deftly grounds her meditative practices in Scripture alongside compelling personal stories and practical, accessible advice. In Transforming Your Thought Life, Sarah shows us a path through daily anxieties, distractions, and negative thoughts toward healing, peace, and wholeness. This book is a must-read for anyone yearning to transform negative thought patterns in order to live more fully in intimate union with God.” —Michelle DeRusha, author of True You

“Our thoughts have the power to help or hurt us. So what do we do when our thoughts leave us feeling beaten, bruised, and out of control? In Transforming Your Thought Life, Sarah reminds us that the...


Available Editions

EDITION Ebook
ISBN 9781684269662
PRICE $9.99 (USD)
PAGES 208

Available on NetGalley

Send to Kindle (EPUB)

Average rating from 28 members


Featured Reviews

This was a wonderful book for Christians to understand the why and how of meditation. Sarah is genuine and addresses many potential benefits and roadblocks to Christian meditation.

Was this review helpful?

This is a very good book. It teaches you how to replace negative thoughts with scriptures. This is a book I will read more than once. Thank you Abilene Christian University Press & Leafwood Publishers Leafwood Publishers via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions are my own and I will be buying a hard copy of this book when it releases.

Was this review helpful?

In her book Transforming Your Thought Life, Sarah Geringer provides an excellent guide for readers wanting to take captive their negative and overwhelming thoughts and make them obedient to Christ. She shows readers how the art of biblical meditation on Scripture helps to refocus one's thoughts and turn them back to truth. I found Geringer's book to be biblically sound and very practical, touching on a variety of subjects and giving readers practical tips and practices for developing new habits and patterns of thinking. It's a very useful, very practical, very down-to-earth book that you'll refer to over and again in your own life and as you encourage and spur on others in their faith.

Note: I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for this honest review. However, the opinions expressed are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Indispensable For Focusing On Truth

I am so excited about Transforming Your Thought Life: Christian Meditation In Focus, by Sarah Geringer. I've been looking for a resource to help me with managing my thought life in a Biblical way and applying Scripture. Transforming Your Thought Life is the book I have been looking for!
My thoughts run wild it seems, and trying to stay focused on what is helpful and positive is very challenging. Prone to worry- ing, fear, and other unhealthy thoughts, I can ruin my day before it even starts. I have wanted to keep my mind centered on Scripture and be able to do more than just memorize verses. I've struggled with finding a method I could stick with, forming a lifelong habit.
Upon reading Transforming Your Thought Life, I found the resource that guides me toward healthy thoughts, with Scripture as my foundation. Sarah Geringer presents very practical ideas to meditate and focus on Scripture. She explains what Christian Meditation is; why it's so important for a healthy thought life; and how to apply Christian Meditation in practical ways every day.
Transforming Your Thought Life is my go-to, must-have resource for turning my thoughts toward what is true, to joy, to keeping a godly perspective throughout my day. I very highly recommend this indispensable book!

*I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of Transforming Your Thought Life: Christian Meditation In Focus from the publisher. I was not obligated to post a review. The opinion stayed is my own. I have not been compensated in any way.*

Was this review helpful?

It was the title of Sarah’s book which sparked my interest and her book did not disappoint me. In “Transforming Your Thought Life”, Sarah provides us with help and support which is both Scriptural and practical.

The chapters cover the different kinds of thoughts we have, such as negative, anxious, self-critical, angry, untrue thoughts and much, much more.

Her introduction is very helpful as she explains just what Christian meditation is, the many benefits of meditation and how to practice it.

What Sarah shares is not just head knowledge and her understanding of the Bible, she also shares out of her own experiences and the journey she has been on. In each chapter, she shares how she has struggled with each of these different kinds of thinking which helps the reader to connect with and relate to her. She also shares how meditation has helped to transform her own thought life which brings hope to the reader that they too can change. In each chapter, she unpacks a particular Bible verse or passage and provides the reader with a set of verses to meditate on. She ends with a prayer and some reflection questions.

For me, this book is a helpful resource as it provides help to grow closer to God and over time I believe anyone who reads this book and who puts into practice her suggestions will see a change and transformation in their own thought life. Also, all the verses she provides within this book are particularly helpful for meditating on, so it is the kind of book you can dip in and out of and refer back to when battling a certain area in your thought life.

I recommend this book to anyone who is aware of the struggles within their own thought life and want to change it so that their thoughts become more like God’s and less like the world’s. This book is for anyone who would like to understand more about Christian meditation and would like help with how to practice meditation based on God’s Word.

Was this review helpful?

This is a beautiful book full of great ideas and tips on meditating to help our thoughts become more positive. I highly recommend this helpful book.

Was this review helpful?

A devotional work written for a female audience to encourage meditation upon the Scriptures and prayer as a means by which to overcome difficulties, temptations, and distractions in thinking.

The author systematically works through many of the categories of such thinking - careless, negative, anxious, self-critical, other-critical, fearful, idolatrous, guilty, discontented, impure, painful, defeated, regretful, angry, unforgiving, self-focused, and untrue thoughts. For each she gives personal examples, explores where the issues come from and what they mean, and provides suggested Scriptures and a prayer for a way forward in meditation.

Designed as an introductory work for women, and focused on meditation on Scripture and prayer. Not a general work on meditation in a Christian perspective.

Was this review helpful?

Very descriptive and very thorough.

As someone who has hand bouts of anxiety I was excited to read this book. My hope was to gain tools to cope.

It’s not a how-to manual but I did gain a new awareness and perspective of how to study the Bible and take my thoughts captive.

Was this review helpful?

What a great book for any believer who would like to concur the negative thoughts that bombard our minds. Sarah Geringer encourages us, by equipping us with scriptures that can be used in this fight for control over our mind and heart. A very well done devotional for any one that can use some help in this area. I received a copy of this book from Leafwood Publishers through NetGalleys. The opinions expressed in this book are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Transforming Your Thought Life
Christian Meditation in Focus

by Sarah Geringer

Abilene Christian University Press & Leafwood Publishers

Leafwood Publishers

Christian , Religion & Spirituality

Pub Date 01 Oct 2019



I am reviewing a copy of Transforming Your Thought Life through Leafwood Publishers and Netgalley:


This book reminds us that Meditation is not foreign to Christianity. We are reminded the importance of meditating on the kind of life God wants us to live. It is pointed out too that Christian Meditation helps you to have answers prepared in advance for evangelistic opportunities.



We are reminded too that transformation is a fight. The importance of meditating on God’s word is stressed.



The importance of meditating on God’s Word, and not allowing Anxious or Negative thoughts to take over.



We are encouraged too not to let thoughts of criticism of ourselves or others to take over our time of Meditation. We are warned too about the difference between harmful criticism and constructive criticism.


Transforming Your Thought Life reminds us of the importance of dealing with impure thoughts and part of that is to admit we all have them because we are human, and prone to sin. We are encouraged too not to linger where we may find those impure thoughts. Instead we are encouraged to pursue Holiness.


I give Transforming Your Life five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Was this review helpful?

Christian women focusing on better mindfulness will find some gems here. Not every chapter is for every person, and that's okay. I certainly highlighted some passages in my Kindle version.

Was this review helpful?

Our minds are always thinking. That's a good thing. But when our brains churn negative thoughts over and over, it leaves us drained and discouraged.

"You have an average of 60,000 thoughts every day, and up to 80 percent of those thoughts are negative. Almost all of today’s negative thoughts are recycled from yesterday’s negative thoughts."

Transforming Your Thought Life gives us a path forward to take captive a wide variety of thoughts.

Negative thoughts
Anxious thoughts
Self-critical thoughts
Fearful thoughts
Angry thoughts
Self-focused thoughts and more

Sarah Geringer methodically walks us through the process, step by step, to change our thought patterns from negative to God-honoring, using the power of the Holy Spirit through meditation on scripture and prayer.

Each chapter in the book has a key verse, personal and relevant stories from Sarah, a prayer, reflection questions, quotes from other authors, and a list of meditation verses related to the chapter's topic.

Training our mind to stay focused on truths, not lies, is not an easy road. But as we stay on the path, we will see fruit. I'm grateful for books like Sarah's that help us along our way.

"Taking control of your thought life takes practice. It may not feel natural or comfortable at first. It may feel painful to let go of deeply entrenched patterns of thought. But with the help of the Holy Spirit, your thought life will be transformed by God’s life and peace."

My thanks to Net Galley for the review copy of this book.

Was this review helpful?

As a counselor/teacher I am always looking for tools to help women with taking their thoughts captive instead of allowing them to control them. This is a great book to help with that. I like the use of meditating on scriptures to stop the mind from running wild with destructive thoughts.
I recommend this book
I received an advanced copy and this is my own opinion.

Was this review helpful?

Because of his size, our St. Bernard can’t be trusted with just any bone or chew toy. Large and practically indestructible, his favorite toy stays in the family room where it can keep him occupied on family movie nights. Sometimes we have to adjust the volume on the t.v. to accommodate the sound of Tucker’s enthusiastic meditations.

Isaiah 31:4 uses the word hagah to describe a lion’s growling over its prey, a word denoting total focus–as in the way Tucker savors his own precious bone. Typically, hagah is translated as “meditate” as in Psalm 1:2: “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.” The believer is called to a life of meditation, of chewing and swallowing, of entering fully into the experience of reading and knowing Scripture.

Sarah Geringer is one of those chewers and swallowers herself, and in Transforming Your Thought Life: Christian Meditation in Focus she invites readers into the practice of Christian meditation as a tool for absorbing, imbibing, feeding on, and ingesting truth as a substitute for error. Joining the likes of Thomas Chalmers, Geringer argues for the “expulsive power of a new affection” as God’s thoughts and values, communicated through the Bible, become a replacement for a host of negative mindsets that plague us and range on a bandwidth from negativity and passing discontent to crippling self-criticism, toxic unforgiveness, and debilitating anger or guilt.

Christian meditation, says Geringer, differs from other branches in that it is, “simply the practice of thinking about Scripture and communing with God.” (Loc 168) Through personal anecdotes and excerpts from excellent resources, she demonstrates that the spiritual, mental, physical, emotional, and social benefits are all well worth the effort of forging the habit of meditating and of making room for it in every busy day.

When we open the Bible and our minds at the same time, we enter the world of Truth. Spiritual reading accompanied by deep thinking serves as a source of nourishment for the believer who makes the commitment to chew, gnaw, and meditate on God’s Words–and then to follow all our reading and our thinking with actions that flow from loving obedience and a new heart.

Many thanks to Leafwood Publishers and Net Galley for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which, of course, is offered freely and with honesty.

Was this review helpful?

Transforming Your Thought Life by Sarah Geringer is wonderful book about transforming your thoughts. In the book you will learn the diffinition of meditation, the benefits of meditation, and how to practice Christian meditation. This book will help you to take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ. Each chapter comes with reflection questions, meditation verses and prayer. I would recommend this book to anyone who struggles with their thoughts or needs help meditating on Gods word.

Was this review helpful?

4 stars
Transforming Your Thought Life by Sarah Gerringer is a solid book on using Scripture to turn negative thoughts into positive ones. I was really apprehensive about this book, I figured it would be more of a new-age hippie type boos and less Christian. I am so happy it is not that way at all! I gleaned a great deal from this book. I am even adding this to my re-read pile.
I think this is a great book that anyone would enjoy. I highly recommend it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. The views given are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Transforming Your Thought Life teaches a valuable lesson: as Christians, we need to focus on the truth of God’s Word. This might mean changing some of the thoughts that we dwell on. I liked that the reader was not directed to find truth within themselves but instead to focus on God who is truth.

Ms. Geringer used a lot of Scripture in this book, which I loved, I just wish some of the passages were included in the text so I didn’t have to stop and look up the text to get the idea she was trying to depict.

I enjoyed learning how to use Christian meditation as an effective measure against my daily challenges. I look forward to combing the Scripture for verses to add to my personal arsenal to battle the enemy.

I received an advanced reader’s copy from the publishers through NetGalley; a positive review was not required.

Was this review helpful?

Readers who liked this book also liked: